Customs Officers Resume Walkouts Over Right To Carry Guns

The walkout coincided with the release of a study conducted on behalf of the officers' Customs Excise Union, which found that front-line customs workers -- like police officers -- need to carry weapons because of increasing dangerous situations and the risk of encountering armed terrorists at the border. He's not Packin': Canada Customs officers want more than just contraband detectors. The study, conducted by private Ottawa-based security company Northgate Group, continues by stating that the Canada-U.S. border is porous and suggests armed mobile patrols to secure it. "From assaults, to intimidation to being take hostage, these officers are faced with a daily risk to their lives … exacerbated by the unpredictability of human behaviour," the study states. The union says it's frustrated with the government's response on the issue, especially since the feds' own reports -- including a Canadian Senate report released last summer -- also recommended border agents carry weapons. In November, customs officers created traffic chaos at several border crossings in Southern Ontario when they staged a series of similar strikes over the gun issue. http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=15625 [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on January 15, 2006]

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